Cigarette making machine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1960 INVENTOR Goffredo Gcmbarini .9 MATTORNEY June 18, 1963 G. GAMBERINI CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE 4Sheets-Sheet, 2

Filed April '7. 1960 INVENTOR Goffredo Gomberini BY 7W -9 Fig. 5.

ATTORNEY June 18, 1963 G. GAM BERlNl 3,094,127

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed April '7. 19eo 4 Sheets-Sheet s Fig. 4. L

INVENTOR Goffredo Gumberini ATTORNEY June 18, 1963 G. GAMBERINICIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 7, 1960 IIIININVENTOR Goffredo Gumberini w ATTQRN EY United States Patent 3,094,127CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Golfrcdo Gamberini, Bologna, Italy, assignor,by mesne assignments, to American Machine & Foundry C0.,

New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 7, 1960, Ser. No.20,614 Claims priority, application Italy Apr. 18, 1959 8 Claims. (Cl.13121) This invention relates to continuous cigarette making machinesand pertains in particular to that portion of these machines which formsa continuous rope of tobacco known as the rod from which is subsequentlyobtained, through cutting, the cigarette.

In known cigarette making machines, a shower of cut and selected tobaccofalls on a conveying and receiving belt which brings the tobacco to thelocation where the rod is formed, at the initial point of which thetobacco undergoes a first compression under one or more wheels (orbelts) which function as means for pressing the tobacco with theirperipheral surface which are often concave in form and shape. Uponleaving the tobacco pressing wheels, the rod of tobacco is transferredonto a succeeding conveying belt which supports the continuous strip ofpaper for enclosing the rod of tobacco as a wrapper in order to be latercut into cigarettes of the desired length.

Known tobacco compressing wheels present various disadvantages. Forexample, the area of the compressing wheels contact with the tobacco rodis small so that the resulting compressing action does not allow asufficient settling between the fibers of the cut tobacco, which wouldresult in a uniform density of the rod of tobacco. Furthermore, in someof the tobacco pressing devices known heretofore, the tobacco is subjectto friction against fixed lateral walls, resulting in the breakage ofthe fibers of tobacco as well as preventing the formation of a uniformrod of constant density.

The invention has for its object the elimination of the above mentionedshortcomings and consists substantially in replacing known tobaccopressing wheels employing mechanical action with a tobacco pressingwheel with pneumatic action, i.e. with a vacuum wheel provided with aperipheral groove, into which the tobacco is made to fall preferably bymeans of the same conveying belt which accepts the shower of tobaccooriginating from a hopper and metering device.

The quantity of the tobacco collected on the above mentioned conveyingbelt and conducted to the vacuum wheel is automatically regulated by asuitable self-regulating device so that the quantity of tobacco fed tothe wheel is maintained constant in weight in order to completely anduniformly (without excess) fill the peripheral groove of the wheelitself. This metered quantity of tobacco is compressed in the groove ofthe wheel through the vacuum action in the depression existing in thegroove of the wheel and which includes a series of small holes made inthe bottom of the peripheral groove. At the end of this suction phase,the tobacco compressed in the peripheral groove of the wheel isdeposited in the form of a continuous rod of compressed tobacco on ashort connecting conveyor belt which travels with the wheel for acertain section of the same and which transfers the rod of tobacco tothe rod former of the cigarette making machine. At the point oftransfer, centrifugal force detaches the tobacco from the wheel andcompresses it against the conveying belt.

The advantages obtained from this invention can be briefly stated asfollows:

The pressing of the tobacco in the peripheral groove of the pneumatictobacco pressing wheel is obtained through a constant vacuum whichmanifests itself over 3,094,127 Patented June 18, 1963 ice a wide are,as for example in the order of to degrees or more. This permits anarrangement of the fibers of tobacco under the vacuum action which isexercised on all the strata, to obtain a uniform density of the rodafter having been subjected to the secondary action caused by thecentrifugal force at the detachment from the wheel.

In accordance with the invention the tobacco which is pressed into theperipheral groove of the tobacco pressing vacuum wheel, does notencounter friction against fixed sidewalls, as happens in tobaccopressing devices known to date, e.g. those with mechanically actuatedtobacco pressing wheels and also in those with pneumatic action in whichthe tobacco rod is pressed on the conveyor belt which forms a channelwith two longitudinal fixed sides.

In accordance with the invention, the quantity of tobacco which falls ona receiving belt feeds the groove on the periphery of the vacuum tobaccopressing wheel and is automatically regulated in such a manner as tofill (without excess) the peripheral groove of the above mentionedtobacco pressing wheel. The self-regulation of the quantity of tobaccopoured on the vacuum tobacco pressing wheel can be obtained with anysuitable means desired by the manufacturer and preferably with thoseregulating means which operate on the screen formed by the shower oftobacco and which vary the width of this shower. This self-regulationacting on the shower of tobacco may be preferred to other types ofregulation because it can be obtained with a larger measure of precisionand sensitivity and in more favorable conditions, since it subtracts aportion of the lateral tobacco from the above mentioned screen oftobacco.

The peripheral groove of the vacuum tobacco pressing wheel can have aprofile of any desirable form (trapezoid, rectangular, semi-circular andothers) and can have a constant profile or a variable one along thecircumference of the vacuum wheel itself, having at regular intervals,widened or narrowed portions. Variation in shape in the continuous rodof tabacco can be obtained in this manner at predetermined distanceswhich could, for example, be those areas Where the continuous cigaretterod is cut and/ or those portions to which a mouthpiece will be appliedto the cigarette.

At the end of the vacuum portion of the pneumatic tobacco pressingwheel, the rod of compressed tobacco which occupies the peripheralgroove of the vacuum wheel in which the tobacco is deposited, partiallyby gravity, but also partially due to the centrifugal action, on aconveying belt which is tangent to the tobacco pressing wheel orpreferably merged with the same for a certain portion of itscircumference at the beginning of the formation of the rod.

At the moment of this depositing of the rod of tobacco from the vacuumtobacco pressing wheel onto the above mentioned conveying belt, theouter layers of the tobacco rod which are less compressed by the vacuumaction, are more compressed on the conveyor belt due to the effect ofcentrifugal force which is larger on the outside, and in this mannercompensates for the preceding lesser pneumatic compression. A moreuniform compression is thereby obtained of all the layers of the tobaccorod deposited on the line of formation of the subsequent phase ofmanufacturing.

It is to be noted that the pneumatic tobacco pressing wheel inaccordance with the invention can be applied without substantialditlicul-ties to all cigarette making machines, in place of conventionaltobacco pressing devices with mechanical action wheels.

The wheel is so arranged as to allow the amplitude and/ or the locationof its suction sector to be varied so as to obtain a gradual increase ofthe suction at the beginning of the above mentioned suction sector inthe upper zone of the wheel (in the area corresponding to the zone offeeding of the tobacco) to provide a better stratification of the cuttobacco within the peripheral groove of the pneumatic tobacco pressingwheel itself. These and other features, objects and advantages of theinvention will be evident from the following description of certainpreferred embodiments thereof in the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic front elevational view of the machine of theinvention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the suction wheelused in the machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a portion of theperipheral groove, of the suction wheel.

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view, partly in section of anothersuction wheel in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a section on the line 66 of FIGURE 5.

With reference to FIGURE 1, shredded tobacco is fed in a continuouscigarette making machine from a suitable metering device or hopper suchas a sieve or conventional cigarette machine feed 1 in a wide thincurtain or shower of tobacco. This shower is collected on an underlyingconveying belt 3 which is substantially horizontal and which isstretched over the pulleys 4, 5 and onto which the tobacco is fed in anelongated stream of substantially uniform and constant thickness.

The thickness of the ribbon of tobacco on the conveyor belt 3 isautomatically maintained constant and corresponds to a predeterminedvalue by means of a regulating device 6 of the cigarette making machine.One form of automatic regulating device which may be used for thispurpose is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,930,381.

For the purposes of the present description it is suflicient to say thatthe above mentioned automatic regulating device 6 is governed by thevariations of weight measured on the cigarettes produced by thecigarette making machine and it acts by varying the total amplitude ofthe shower of tobacco 2. More particularly the regulating device 6,includes a helicoid 7 which intercepts and carries off a marginalportion 102 of the former shower 2 of tobacco. Tobacco may be passedthrough the mounting into duct 8, as shown in FIG. 1. The helicoid 7which may be extended to the right of the position shown in FIG. 1, ismounted for slidable forward and backward movement within its housingand it advances more into the shower 2 of the tobacco when the producedcigarettes present a weight which is higher than that which as beenpro-established. It recedes outwardly when the cigarettes come outlighter, varying thusly the intercepted and removed portion 102 of theshower 2 of tobacco, so that the weight of the cigarettes is maintainedconstant and consequently also the thickness of the layer of tobacco onthe conveyor belt 3. The excessive tobacco intercepted by helicoid 7 ismade to return into hopper 1 through conduit 8.

It will also be appreciated that other automatic regulating devicescould be used for regulating the thickness of the layer of tobacco onbelt 3. These devices may be of similar or different construction, buthaving the same final result.

The conveyor belt 3 lets the tobacco fall on a vacuum tobacco pressingwheel 9 installed at the beginning of the line 10 where the formation ofthe continuous cigarette rod commences and the wheel is disposed betweenthis line 10 and the conveyor belt 3. Suitably, a funnelshaped member 30may be positioned above wheel 9 to make the tobacco fall on the wheel onan arc defined by the peripheral surface thereof along which suction isoperative.

As shown in FIGURES 2 to 4, the tobacco pressing wheel 9 comprises twocoaxial disks 11 and 12 facing each other and separated from each other,on the periphcry of which is installed a crown 13 formed by radialpartitions 113 which are separated from each other at an angle as shownin FIG. 2, and which present external sharpened extremities.

The periphery of this crown 13 is provided with receptacles 213. A thincircular and apertured plate 14 is installed on the above mentionedsectors 113, and is held in place by two lateral rings 15 and 16. Aperipheral groove 17 is formed in this manner on wheel 9, the bottom ofwhich is formed by the thin apertured plate 14, whereas its sidewallsare provided by the rings 15 and 16.

Wheel 9 is freely mounted on a fixed tubular axle 18 which issubstantially horizontal, and connected to a vacuum source of anydesired type and through an opening 19, is connected with a chamber 20between the two disks 11 and 12.

Disk 11 is fixedly mounted on the axle 18 by means of a terminal flange118 whereas the other disk 12 is fixed to a part 21 which is turnablymounted on the axle 18 and is supported by ball bearings 23, disposedwithin an outside fixed support 22. The crown 13 of the radial sectors113 is aifixed to the turnable disk 12 although it is placed between thetwo disks 11, 12 and it is superimposed in part on the fixed disk 11.

The rings 15, 16 for retaining the thin perforated plate 14 are fixed tothe crown 13 and therefore only to the turnable disk 12. Accordingly,the ring 16 is mounted adjacent the periphery of disk 11 and rotatesfreely with respect thereto. Wheel 9, through disk 12 with the crown 13and the peripheral groove 17 is made to rotate in the direction of thearrow F, in a direction corresponding to the movement of the rod on theunderlying production line 10, the disk and crown being driven in anydesirable way by means of part 21.

Fixed sectors 24, 25 which extend to the bottom plate 14, of theperipheral groove 17 are positioned in chamber 20.

These sectors 24, 25 divide the space 20 between the disks 11, 12 ontotwo non-communicating compartments and 220. Compartment 120 is placed onthe descending side wheel 9 and extends through an angle A, from theupper portion of wheel 9, until a certain point which is tangential toline 10 where the rod is formed.

The other compartment 220 extends through a smaller angle and isdisposed on the opposite or ascending side of wheel 9, in a locationcorresponding with a suction tube 26 which faces wheel 9. The vacuumwhich exists in the hollow axle 18 is introduced through the opening 19into compartment 120 and manifests itself with a suction through theperforated bottom 14 of the peripheral groove 17 of wheel 9 along asector corresponding to the angular extension of the above mentionedcompartment 120. The opposite compartment 220 on the other handcommunicates with the atmosphere, through conduits not shown.

Wheel 9 is substantially tangent to the underlying manufacuring line 10of the rod which is substantially horizontal and includes a conveyingribbon 27 which runs on a support 28 and upon which is placed thecontinuous strip of paper 29 for the wrapping of the rod. Along theproduction line 10 are placed the various rod forming devices well knownin continuous cigarette rod production and which can be of any desiredtype.

The operation of the above described device may be briefly described asfollows:

At the discharge end of collecting belt 3, the tobacco is thrown ontowheel 9 by momentum and is made to fall into peripheral groove 17 ofwheel 9 as shown in FIG. 2. The vacuum suction through bottom 14 causesthe tobacco to be held in groove 17 in successive layers. It is to benoted that in accordance with the invention the quantity of tobaccosupported by the collecting band 3 and made to fall onto the vacuumwheel 9, is predetermined and maintained constant with the aid of theabove mentioned automatic regulating device 6 in such a manner, as tofill without excess the peripheral groove 17 of wheel 9, thus obviatingthe employment of leveling off devices.

The compressed tobacco which fills the peripheral groove '17 of wheel 9along the are A of the vacuum sector is deposited at the end of thissector at the lowest point of wheel 9 in the form of a continuous ropeof tobacco onto the production line 10 of the rod former beginning withthe continuous strip of paper 29 which is located on top of theconveying belt 27.

It is to be noted that the are A, along which the tobacco contained inthe peripheral groove 17 of the tobacco pressing wheel 9 sustains thepressing action of the vacuum has a dimension such that the tobacco issubjected to the vacuum action long enough to obtain a suitableadaptation of the fibers of the cut tobacco. In the part between the endof the vacuum sector A and the lowest point of tobacco pressing wheel 9,i.e. along the portion between the place at which the vacuum actionceases, and the point at which the rope of tobacco is deposited onto theproduction line of the rod 10, the tobacco pressing wheel 9 meets anendless belt 31 which covers groove 17 and which is propelled, by. meansof pulley 32, at a velocity which is equal to the peripheral velocity ofwheel 9.

During this portion of travel which is devoid of vacuum, belt 31accompanies wheel 9 and holds. the tobacco onto the same, thus avoidingfriction due to relatively moving parts.

Furthermore the tobacco is compressed against belt 31 due to the effectof the centrifugal force which is greater on the outside and thereforethe external layers of tobacco contained in the peripheral groove 17 ofwheel 9, which have been subjected previously to the pressing action ofthe vacuum to a somewhat lesser extent than the internal layers closerto the bottom 14 of the groove.

In this manner a rope of tobacco is obtained having relatively uniformdensity throughout and this rope is deposited by belt 31 onto the rodforming line. At the discharge position, there is provided a fixed cone33 which is positioned in groove 17 of wheel 9 and is positionedimmediately in front of the tapering conduit 34 of the manufacturingline 10 of the rod. Finally, in a place corresponding with thecompartment 220, which communicates with the atmosphere, the suctionconduit 26 cleans groove 17 of wheel 9 from possible left over strandsof tobacco.

As mentioned, the peripheral groove 17 of the tobacco pressing wheel 9can have a transverse section of any desired design, be it constantalong the entire perimeter of the wheel, or variable and e.g. providedat regular intervals with widened portions 117, as illustrated in FIG-URE 3, for the purpose of conferring to the rope of tobacco a form whichis uniformly varied along its length.

The embodiment shown in FIGURES and 6, correspond substantially to theone previously described, since the identical parts are referred to withthe same numbers to which the letter a has been added, for which reasona detailed description is omitted. In this construction however, theangular extent of compartment 120a of tobacco pressing wheel 9a, i.e.the amplitude of arc Aa, along which the vacuum takes place, can bevaried and adjusted at will in order to be adapted to the necessities ofthe moment. For this reason, the breech sectors which limit the vacuumare A rare movably mounted around the axle 18a of the tobacco pressingwheel and can be blocked in their registered positions. This can beobtained with any desired means for instance by installing these sectors24a, 25a by means of arcuate slots 35a on pins 36a which are integralwith the fixed disk 11 of wheel 9a.

Another improvement in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 over thepreviously described embodiment, consists in the fact that the portion124a of breechsector 24a which delineates on the upper side the vacuumcompartment 120a, presents a sharpened or knife like form, i.e. aprofile which becomes progressively thinner along an arc B of such anamplitude as to cause a progressive increase of vacuum in the peripheralgroove 17a of wheel 9a at the beginning of the vacuum arc Aa, onto whichthe tobacco is made to fall onto wheel 9a.

In other words, there is obtained a gradual increase of vacuum 0n theperforated bottom 14a of the peripheral groove 17a, along the portioncorresponding to the angle B, :at which the sector 24a narrows down fromits maximum width (total obstruction of all the perforations of bottom14) until a thickness nil (opening of all the perforations at the bottom14 of groove 17). In this manner there is obtained a betterstratification of the cut tobacco in the peripheral groove 17 of thepneumatic tobacco pressing wheel 9a.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the embodiments described andillustrated but can be varied and modified in construction withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A cigarette making machine comprising :a source of supply of tobacco,a first moving surface for conveying tobacco from said source, acigarette rod former, a suction wheel positioned so as to receivetobacco showered from said moving surface, a second moving surface forbringing a rope of tobacco fromsaid wheel to said rod iorm'er, saidwheel comprising a fixed and a rotary disk forming a chambertherebetween, suction means communicating with said chamber, said wheelhaving a peripheral groove, a portion of said groove communicating withsaid chamber, stationary means for interrupting vacuum along saidportion during rotation thereof so as to release tobacco held thereon inrope form onto said second moving surface, said second surfacetravelling at a speed about equal to the peripheral velocity of saidwheel, a weight adjusting device for regulating the thickness of saidtobacco rope held in said groove, said device extending in the way oftobacco showered onto said groove from said first moving surface so asto vary the amount thereof, said device being responsive to variationsin the weight of cigarettes produced, and means for rotating said wheel.

2. A cigarette making machine comprising a source of supply of tobacco,a first conveyor for conveying tobacco from said source, a cigarette rodformer, a suction wheel positioned to receive tobacco showered from saidconveyor, a second conveyor for bringing a rope of tobacco formed onsaid wheel to said rod former, said wheel comprising a fixed disk and arotary disk coaxial therewith defining a chamber therebetween, a sourceof suction communicating with said chamber, a crown of radiallynarrowing partition members peripherally enclosing said disks, lateralretaining rings secured to said rotary disk and defining the sides of aperipheral groove in said wheel, a curved and perforated plate on saidcrown intermediate said retaining rings and secured to said rotary disk,said plate constituting the bottom of said groove, fixed sectors in saidchamber secured to said fixed disk for closing a portion of said grooveto said source of suction and thereby release tobacco held in rope formin said groove onto said second conveyor and means for rotating saidwheel.

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said sectors are movablymounted to vary the arcuate length of the groove where suction isoperative.

4. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said partitions have aprogressively narrowing radial section.

5. A machine according to claim 2, wherein external suction means areprovided adjacent that portion of said groove which is closed to suctionfor cleaning said groove.

6. A cigarette making machine according to claim 2, wherein said portionof said peripheral groove along which suction is operative has anarcuate length ranging trom about to about degrees.

7. A cigarette making machine according to claim 2, and having a funnelshaped member to direct the shower 7 8 of tobacco on said portion ofsaid groove where suction 616,477 Legg Dec. 27, 1898 is operative.1,755,080 Schunemann Apr. 15, 1930 8. A cigarette making machineaccording to claim 2, 2,111,672 Molins Mar. 22, 1938 having meanspositioned below said wheel and extending into said groove to dislodgesaid tobacco rope therefrom 5 FOREIGN PATENTS and cause it to fall onsaid second moving surface. 1,179,992 Fran 29, 1958 286,421 GreatBritain Mar. 8, 1928 378,143 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1932 ReferencesCited in the file of this patent 647,397 Germany July 3, 1937 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 900,182 Germany Dec. 21, 1953 10 231,947 Allison Sept. 7,18-80 255,193 Germany 31, 1912

2. A CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A SOURCE OF SUPPLY OF TOBACCO,A FIRST CONVEYOR FOR CONVEYING TOBACCO FROM SAID SOURCE, A CIGARETTE RODFORMER, A SUCTION WHEEL POSITIONED TO RECEIVE TOBACCO SHOWERED FROM SAIDCONVEYOR, A SECOND CONVEYOR FOR BRINGING A ROPE OF TOBACCO FORMED ONSAID WHEEL TO SAID ROD FORMER, SAID WHEEL COMPRISING A FIXED DISK AND AROTARY DISK COAXIAL THEREWITH DEFINING A CHAMBER THEREBETWEEN, A SOURCEOF SUCTION COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER, A CROWN OF RADIALLYNARROWING PARTITION MEMBERS PERIPHERALLY ENCLOSING SAID DISKS, LATERALRETAINING RINGS SECURED TO SAID ROTARY DISK AND DEFINING THE SIDES OF APERIPHERAL GROOVE IN SAID WHEEL, A CURVED AND PERFORATED PLATE ON SAIDCROWN INTERMEDIATE SAID RETAINIG RINGS AND SECURED TO SAID ROTARY DISK,SAID PLATE CONSTITUTING THE BOTTOM OF SAID GROOVE, FIXED SECTORS IN SAIDCHAMBER SECURED TO SAID FIXED DISK FOR CLOSING A PORTION OF SAID GROOVETO SAID SOURCE OF SUCTION AND THEREBY RELEASE TOBACCO HELD IN ROPE FORMIN SAID GROOVE ONTO SAID SECOND CONVEYOR AND MEANS FOR ROTATAING SAIDWHEEL.